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DALLAS – National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) – Wednesday, June 27 – is an annual campaign produced by the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) to encourage at-risk individuals to receive voluntary HIV counseling and testing. North Texans may receive a no-cost* or $10 off a low-cost HIV test at any of Planned Parenthood of North Texas' (PPNT) 28 clinics.
Did you know the impact of HIV and AIDS on women is growing rapidly? According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
- 30% of new HIV infections are found in women
- Women accounted for 7% of new AIDS cases in 1986 and 25% in 2002
- 75% of new HIV infections are due to heterosexual sex
- African–American women account for 64% of new AIDS cases reported among women
- At least half of all people infected with HIV are under the age of 25
The lack of awareness of women's risk of HIV infection among health care providers too often means that women are tested and diagnosed later in their infection. Many women are infected by male partners without having any awareness of being at risk of infection and are often unlikely to seek testing until symptoms appear.
Anyone can receive $10 off a low-cost HIV test at any of PPNT's clinic locations. Anyone who may qualify as at-risk can receive a no-cost HIV test at 14 of PPNT's clinics.
For more information about clinic locations, patients should call 1-800-230-PLAN.
*PPNT receives a grant from the Department of State Health Services to provide no-cost HIV testing to patients at highest risk of infection in the North Texas area. This grant provides clinical and outreach testing as well as education and prevention case management at sites that receive the funding.
For more than 70 years, PPNT has provided compassionate medical care in North Texas. In 2006, PPNT clinics served more than 90,000 patients in its 28 clinics. PPNT also provides health education outreach to 12,000 individuals a year.
"Celebrating 70 years of providing compassionate health care in North Texas communities."
(1935-2005)
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